Sunday, December 27, 2009

It's hard for me to believe, but today is my two-year "blogiversary"! On December 27, 2007, I set up this blog and posted my first post. On the 31st of that same year, I posted my first menu plan. During the two years that followed I posted 414 posts and 102 menus (not counting this one)! I have to say, I'm pretty impressed with myself for sticking with my blog. It has definitely become a joke in our family. I get teased every Sunday night (in a nice way, of course) about posting my weekly menu. Both friends and family laugh when we get ready to eat dinner because they know they don't get to eat until I take a picture of the food if it's new recipe. My girlfriends joke about hoping that one of their recipes will make my blog. :) I have to admit, my blog does bring me a lot of joy. I love sharing recipes with others, finding new ones to try, and helping others find the joy of menu planning.

Last year on my first anniversary, I did a giveaway to celebrate. I thought I would continue that tradition this year. To qualify for this year's giveaway, you have to write a comment back on this post and share one of your family's favorite dinner recipes. Yes, this is my sneaky way to get some new recipe ideas. :) I will select one winner by random number drawing. The winner will win an apron handmade by me! The deadline for entries will be Saturday, January 2 at 7:00 p.m. central time. I will announce the winner on Sunday, January 3 on my weekly menu post.

Following is this week's menu. For more menu ideas, go to orgjunkie.com.

Monday, December 21, 2009

Boy, do I feel like a slacker! This is the first time in months that I didn't post my menu on Sunday night. But, the holiday season is in full swing. We attended my husband's work Christmas party last night which was the cause of my delay. It was very nice party, though. :) This week we will be visiting different relatives, so we have several nights that I didn't have to plan meals. I hope to spend some time over Christmas break searching for some new meal ideas. Here's this week's very short holiday menu. I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas! For more menu ideas go to orgjunkie.com.

Tuesday, December 15, 2009

I use frozen bread dough to bread bowls for soups, stews, and chili. I usually use Rhodes brand wheat, but I'm sure any kind would work well.

Ingredients:
1 package of frozen bread dough (3 loaves)
(note: you can also use frozen roll dough)
1 egg, beaten with 1 T of water for egg wash

Instructions

Thaw frozen bread dough according to package directions, but don't put in loaf pans. Just thaw in the bag or on a cookie sheet.

Cut loaf into thirds. Form each third into a ball. If using rolls combine 3 rolls to make a ball. Repeat with remaining rolls. Place on a large sprayed baking sheet. Brush with egg. Cover with sprayed plastic wrap. Let rise until double in size. Remove wrap and bake at 350°F 25 minutes or until golden brown. Cool and slice off top. Hollow out bread and fill with favorite dip, chili or soup.

Directions:
Blend all ingredients in order. Blend lightly. Bake in well-greased loaf tins at 350 degrees for about 1 hour. Makes 3 pans. Note: If you use mini loaves, it takes about 40 minutes to cook.

Sunday, December 13, 2009

We survived our hectic week of evening activities last week! My Polar Express party was a huge success with over 650 students and parents attending! Corey enjoyed his academic team meet, and we were able to go watch for a while. We finally had some time together this weekend as a family. I sewed new Christmas stockings for us and made a new tree skirt (photos coming soon). We got our Christmas cards ready to mail, and we even had time to watch Elf. Eric played at church on Sunday, and we spent most of the day today cooking holiday goodies. This week has very few evening obligations, so we will be eating a bit better than we have been lately. It's our last week of school before we get out for Christmas break! Woo hoo! Following is this week's menu. For more menu ideas, go to orgjunkie.com. Enjoy!

These are incredibly rich cookies! I chose to leave off the frosting on top because they are so sweet. They also stick to the pan, so you might want to use parchment paper on your cookie sheet when baking.

1. In a large resealable plastic bag, combine the soda, soy sauce, oil, garlic powder and horseradish; add chicken. Seal the bag and turn to coat. Refrigerate overnight.
2. Drain and discard marinade. Grill chicken, uncovered, over medium heat for 6-7 minutes on each side or until juices run clear.
Recipe Source - All Recipes

Sunday, December 6, 2009

December is a busy month! We have something every night until Christmas break. That's a lot of stuff - all good stuff - but stuff, nonetheless. We had a great trip to Chicago over Thanksgiving break. We took the Amtrak train up and went to see John Williams direct the Chicago Symphony. He featured his music from Harry Potter, and it was simply fabulous. The weather was gorgeous, so we really enjoyed walking around the city. Our hotel was right by Millennium Park.

The only "bad" part of our trip was waiting two and a half hours to go up to the top of the Willis (formerly Sears) Tower. I did manage to make myself stand in the new clear boxes that hang of the side of the building. Huge deal for me - I hate heights!

We enjoyed some great meals, but our most fun food experience was eating chocolate covered fruit on a stick at the German Christmas Village near our hotel. Yum!

Anyway, here's this week's menu. It is tough planning meals this month since we are gone so much in the evenings and don't have a lot of time to cook. I'm really relying on freezer meals and things I cook ahead of time on the weekends. For more menu ideas, see orgjunkie.com.

Grease a 13x9 pan with cooking spray. In a medium sized bowl, combine the chicken, spinach, ricotta and parm cheese. Spread the mixture down the center of each noodle, leaving about an inch and a half at each end. Roll the each noodle and place it in the pan.

For the sauce, melt Cream Cheese, Butter, and Milk together in a saucepan. Add remaining ingredients, Garlic Powder last. Stir with a whisk until all melted together.

Pour the sauce over each noodle. Top with the 4 oz. of shredded mozzarella cheese.

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About Me

This blog is dedicated to helping those who struggle to answer the question, “What’s for dinner?” As a busy wife, mom, and elementary librarian, deciding what to make for dinner is one of my daily challenges. Menu planning has been my saving grace, so I hope that by sharing my recipes and menus, I can help others on their journey to meal-planning bliss!